Enjoying Autumn -Southwest Style

The British prefer the word 'autumn' to 'fall' to name the season we are now in, and I must admit 'autumn' has a ring to it.  Maybe it's because 'fall' has many other meanings, not all of them pleasant (fall down, fall flat, fall foul, fall from grace). My Merriam Webster dictionary defines 'autumn' as "the season between summer and winter." But autumn means much more to me than merely a transitional season. It is my favorite time of year in the Desert Southwest.

It's time to take advantage of the glorious weather.  Those 90 and 100 degree summer daytime temperatures are now thankfully behind us.  Somewhere in the 80's in the daytime and the high 60's at night are more typical temperatures.  One of the first things I do every morning is open up all the doors in the house and let the cool air in.

Front doors flung wide open

Looking out into the courtyard in the morning

I can enjoy a second cup of coffee because I don't have to hurry to take a walk around the neighborhood before the sun starts beating down.

As I take a leisurely stroll in the garden, I can see that I am not the only one happy about the cooler weather.  The plants are putting on luxuriant growth and blooms.  This is a plant I confiscated from a vacant lot many years ago.  It has burst into bloom this autumn.

Snake Weed

A tacoma stans,(yellow bells) in the hot front yard is finally showing some life and greeting the autumn season with blooms.

Looks like a trumpet vine, but with yellow blooms

I have been waiting all year for the rain lily to do something spectacular, and with the autumn rains, it has obliged me.

Rain Lily

They say autumn is the time for planting, so I just installed several lantana plants along the sidewalk leading to the front door.  The yellow lantanas that one sees all around the Southwest are attractive, but I find the colors of this red lantana more eye-catching.

Lantana

Finally, I swing around to the backyard, say hello to the outside cats, and check the wildflowers bed, which is like opening a surprise package.  I'm not sure of the name of this flower, but it is spectacular.

Wildflower

I know that in many parts of the world,  the leaves will soon be turning those wonderful autumn colors. dark reds, yellows, and oranges in many shades.  But in my part of the world, we still have six more wonderful weeks of green trees, plants and grass, a real treat in the Desert Southwest.